Automatic means for controlling movements of gun-rammers.



J. F. MEIGS & R. P. STOUT. AUTOMATIC MEANS FOR CONTROLLING MOVEMENTS 0F GUN RAMMERS.

' APPLICATION FILED MAY 22, 1907. 900,755. Patented Oct. 18,1908. 3 SHEETSSHEET l.

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J. F. MEIGS & R. P. STOUT. AUTOMATIC MEANS FOR CONTROLLING MOVEMENTS 0E GUN BA'MMERS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 22, 1907.

900,755. Patented Oct. 13,1908.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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J'. F. MEIGS & R. P. STOUT. AUTOMATIC MEANS FOR CONTROLLING MOVEMENTS OF GUN BAMMERS.

Patented Oct. 13,1908.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

AP PLIOATION FILED MAY 22, 1907.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN F. MEIGS AND ROBERT P. STOUT, OF SOUTH BETHLEHEM, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNORS TO BETHLEHEM STEEL COMPANY, OF SOUTH BETHLEHEM, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPO- RATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 13, 1908.

Application filed May 22, 1907. Serial No. 375,064.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that We, JOHN F Mines and ROBERT P. STOUT, citizens of the United States, and residents of South Bethlehem, county of Northampton, State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Means for Controlling Movements of Gun-Hammers, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to that class of ram mers which are operated by power and more especially to that class in which the rammer is actuated from a driving shaft operated by a suitable motor, and consists in means to automatically regulate the movements and extent of movements of the rammer, as fully set forth hereinafter and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is an elevation of our improved apparatus looking towards the breech of the gun; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the apparatus and part of the breech of the gun; Fig. 3 is a plan diagram showing the different relations of the contacts of the controller and those of the motor, and Fig. 4: is a sectional detached view of the controller. Fig. 5 illustrates diagrammatically the wiring and electrical contacts connected with the controller and motor.

The gun X is provided With any suitable mechanical rammer constructed and arranged to be reciprocated from a driving shaft H through the medium of any suitable gearing and connections, the rammer also being of any desired character, but the con struction shown is substantially of the character of that set forth in Letters Patentissued to us, No. 80%,243, dated November 14, 1905. In this construction there is a frame 1, 2, supported by the gun and supporting interlocking chains which are suitably guided in the frame and connected at their ends to the rammer, substantially as set forth in said patent, the proper movements being imparted to the rammer chains from a shaft K, and suitable gear, as indicated at 3, 4. As the details of these parts constitute no part of our present invention and as they will be understood by reference to the preceding patent, it will not be necessary to further describe the same, except to point out that the shaft K is telescopic, consisting of sections 5, 6, 7, turning together, the former sliding in the latter, which are tubular, and

the latter turning in a bracket 8 having trunnions swinging in standards 9, 9 of a casing Y which is carried with the gun. This construction of the shaft K permits the gun to be swung on its trunnions to any desired elevation without affecting the driving mechanism.

The shaft K is driven from the shaft H through the medium of gears 10, and move ment is imparted to the shaft H from a motor M, which may be of any suitable character, and which is started and stopped through the medium of a controller N. Obviously the character of this controller will depend upon the character of the motor. If the motor is a hydraulic motor, or an air or steam engine, the controller will be a valve. If, as shown, the motor is electric, the controller which is the usual form of drum controller will be provided with circuit makers and breakers diagrammatically illustrated in Fig. 5. In either case the controller is of such a character that it will serve, by the adjustment of its parts by hand, to start the motor in either direction, and to reverse it and stop it by the proper automatic'shifting of the parts. For this purpose there is com bined with the controller what we term shifting means, the same consisting of means whereby after the valve or switch is set to start the engine, it is again shifted to reverse it, and again shifted to stop it, and the parts are so constructed that the first of these movements, to wit, the movement of the shifting device to start the engine, may be effected byhand, While the reversing and stopping movements are automatic.

In order that the rammer may have its movements proportioned to the work to be done, as for instance in carrying in the projectile, which takes the longest stroke, and carrying the charge, which takes a shorter stroke, the shifting means is so constructed as to secure this result. The devices to effect this result and thereby control the movements of the driving shaft H may be variously constructed and arranged, but as shown, the shifting means consists of a shaft 12 carrying a pinion l3, and spur Wheel 14E on a shaft J upon which are contacts A, B and O, radially arranged equi-distant from each other upon the shaft, but the contact C is in a more elevated position that the other contacts.

Upon the shaft H are carried three con tacts D, E, F, in such manner as to rotate with the shaft and also to move to and from the contacts upon the shaft J. As shown, the contacts D, E, F, are secured adjustably upon a sleeve G, by boltst, said. sleeve being splined so as to slide on and turn with the shaft H and said sleeve has a threaded end adapted to a threaded socket I in one of the standards 9 so that asthe shaft H turns in one direction the contacts D, E will be car ried towards the shaft J and the contact from the said shaft, while the rotation of the shaft H in the opposite direction will carry the contact F toward the shaft J and the contacts D, E away from it. The contact E is shorter than the contacts D and F so as only to make contact with the lower contacts A and Bupon the shaft J, while the contacts D and F are of. greater length, the contact D being furthest from the shaft. J andwill engage the more elevated contact C. The shaft J is geared with the shaft 12 of the controller by means of, gears 13, 1 L p roportioned to insure one rotation of the shaft 12 toone-third of a rotation of the shaft J, and at the upper end of. the shaft 12 is a handle V by means of which it may be turned by hand, and within the casing of the controller the shaft 12 carries a switch arm 29 carrying usual brushes 10 and which same, and then opposite an extended break w. \Vhen the upper brushes 40, diagram Fig. 5, are upon the upper pair. of terminals,

19 the circuit is through a, throughthe up per brushes +LO and terminals 19 to the line 0, through the armature and brushes 10 and through lower terminals to the line e and field, thereby rotating the armature in one direction. lVhen the brushes 40 are upon the terminals 20, the circuit is througlrthe line a and upper brush and terminal 20 to the terminal 20 and upper of the lower two brushes 40 to the armature, through the line 0 and terminal 20 to the terminal 20 and lower of the pair of brushes 4L0 to the line andfield, whereby the armature is rotated in the opposite direction.

The arm 29 occupies such position upon the shaft 12 in respect tov the position of the contact arms A, B, C upon the shaft J that when the arm 29 is in the position shown in Fig. ti: the arms A, B, C will be in the position shown in Fig. 3, and the radial lines of the former figure indicate the different positions taken by the circuit making and breaking arm 29.

Assuming the different arms to be inthe cated by the line C.

indicated by the line C.

of the motor the shorter and nearer contact position shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the appa ratus will be at rest. If now the operator swings the shaft 12 by means of the handle V in the direction of the arrow, Fig. at, so as to carry the arm 29 onethird of a revolution from the line 16 to the line 17, the shaft J will be rotated one-ninth of a revolution and the arm C will be carried tothe position of the line C. On making the circuit including the arm 29 and the terminal 19 the motor will start to carry the rammer into the gun, which rammer will move at full speed forward, and this operation will continue until the long contact D moving toward the shaft J in the direction of its arrow strikes the arm C and rotates it to the positionindi- At the termination of; this movement the controller arm 29 which has moved. rapidly past the break at a will have moved from the position 17 to the position 18, and 1.011 to the terminal 20so that the motor is reversed and carries the rammer at vfull. speed, to the rear. 'of-the motor carries the contact F toward This reversev action the shaftJ and; continues until the contact, F strikes on arm A now in the posit-ion shown by thelinerA and moves it to the position of the arnr B in the drawing, Fig. 3, this movement turning the shaft. 12 to carry the controller arm 29 to the position shown in Fig. 4L, thereby breaking the circuit and arresting the motor, with the rammer drawn fully to the rear, andthe armB in the posi, tion of the arm (j, Fig. 3 (and as shown in Fig. 1). The above described full forward movement ofthe rammer serves to intro- .ment to carry in the charge of powder,

The controller shaft 12 is again rotated by hand, which brings the arm B to the position will be brought againstthe arm B and will carry the latter to the position of, the line C, but as the contact E is nearer the 1 shaft J than the contact D, the motor will be sooner reversed in its movement so that the stroke of the rammer. is shorter than before and on the reversal the contact F is carlriedtowards the shaft J and will then be brought against the armC now in the position of the. line A, and will turn the shaft and cause the circuit to be broken and the jmotor to be arrested as before.

For the third stroke of the rammer after being started again by hand the contacts E land F actupon the arms A, and B to secure.

On the operation length as the second section of the charge carries ahead of it the first section to its final position.

The strokes of course could be readily varied by a suitable adjustment of the parts and using a suitable number of contacts on the shaft H of different lengths. As it may be necessary at times to rotate the shaft 12 of the controller by hand when one of the contacts D, E and F is in a position to interfere, each of the arms A, B, and O is provided with a pivoted terminal 31 capable of folding over when brought against the back side of contacts D, E or F.

Vhile the different lengths of strokes may be secured by arranging the contacts D, E at different distances upon the shaft J, itwill of course be evident that the same result might be effected by other means, and the contacts or stops of the motor secured to the sleeve G by means of set screws or other adjusting devices to permit them to be shifted to vary the length and relation of the strokes,

and the contacts A, B, C may also be adjustable in like manner upon the shaft J.

lVhere there are two guns in a turret the rannner of the second gun is operated from a second motor hf.

Without limiting ourselves to the precise construction and arrangement of parts shown and described, we claim as our invention:

l. The combination with a gun, a rammer and devices connected with the rammer to communicate movement to the same, of a motor for operating the said devices, a controller for the motor, and means connected with the motor to be moved thereby and interposed between the motor and the said devices to operate the controller.

2. The combination with a gun, a mechanically operated rammer and motor, of a controller for the motor and contact devices and means for moving them from the motor arranged between the motor and the rammer, and connections between said devices and the controller.

3. The combination in rammer actuating mechanism for guns, of a driving shaft and means connecting it to operate the rammer, means for rotating said shaft, a controller whereby the rotating means is stopped, started and reversed, a shifting device for said controller, contacts connected with the controller and contacts and means for swinging them from the driving shaft, the latter contacts arranged to engage contacts of the shifting device to carry the latter to its different positions.

4. The combination in rammer actuating mechanism for guns, of a driving shaft and means connecting it to operate the rammer,

means for rotating said shaft, a controller whereby the rotating means is stopped, started or reversed, a shifting device for said controller, and adjustable contacts deriving their movements from the driving shaft and arranged to engage the shifting device at different intervals.

5. The combination in rammer actuating. mechanism for guns, of a driving shaft and means connecting it to operate the rammer, means for rotating said shaft, a controller and connections whereby the rotating means is stopped, started or reversed, a shifting device for said controller, and a plurality of contact devices arranged independently of the rammer and in different positions to shift the shift device to different positions to reverse and stop the rammer.

6. The combination with the rammer and driving shaft and connections between the rammer and shaft, of a motor and control device therefor provided with electrical contacts, a shifting device for shifting the contacts of the controller, and contact devices movable to and from the shifting device as the shaft rotates, and arranged at different distances therefrom to automatically reverse and vary the length of the succeeding strokes of the rammer.

7 The combination with the rammer, shaft H, motor and connections between the shaft and rammer, of a controller for the motor, a shift device for the controller. provided with radial stops set in different positions, and contacts set in different positions arranged to rotate with the shaft and movable to and from the stops of the shifting device.

8. The combination with a rammer, shaft and connections, of a motor, a control device and a shifting device having a shaft J and radial contact arms at different heights, a sleeve splined to the shaft H to turn therewith, means for moving the sleeve longitudinally upon the shaft and contact arms carried by the sleeve, at different distances from the shaft J, for the purpose set forth.

9. The combination with the rammer and driving shaft of an intermediate shaft K for conveying movement from the driving shaft to the rammer devices, the said shaft K consisting of telescopic sections, the sections swinging about the axis of the driving shaft, for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof we aflix our signatures in presence of two Witnesses.

JOHN F. MEIGS. ROBERT P. STOUT.

Witnesses:

LEIGHTON N. D. MIXSELL, EDWIN A. MILLER. 

